Night stretched across the sky like a velvet curtain, blanketing the land in darkness. Inside a lavish, crimson-draped bedroom, soft candlelight flickered against intricately carved walls. The entire room was bathed in shades of red—from the silk curtains to the petals scattered across the floor—clearly prepared for a wedding night.
On the spacious bed, a woman slept soundly, shifting slightly in her sleep. She wore an ancient-style wedding dress, the long sleeves and embroidered train fanned out around her like a blooming flower.
Just then, a creak echoed as the door slowly opened.
"Thank you, Missy. I'm going in… hehe… wow…"
A man stepped inside, grinning like a fool. He rubbed a hand through his slicked-back hair, excitement gleaming in his eyes. He, too, was dressed in red ceremonial robes.
But the moment the door clicked shut behind him, the foolish smile vanished from his face. His expression turned cold, eyes narrowing sharply as a cruel glint surfaced.
He muttered under his breath, his voice low and laced with contempt:
"Hmph. Everything is going according to plan. They're all fools—so eager to appear wise."
The man tilted his head as he caught sight of the woman sleeping soundly—on this night, no less. His brow rose in mild surprise.
He slowly approached the bed, his gaze falling on her delicate, almost ethereal face. Despite her stunning beauty, his expression twisted into one of pure disgust.
(These beautiful women… always the cruelest.)
His thoughts darkened as his hand twitched, reaching toward her slender neck.
(Just like that wretched woman who seduced Father… and drove Mother to her death.)
His fingers inched closer, the desire to squeeze the life from her swelling within him.
But just as he was about to touch her, the woman's eyes suddenly fluttered open.
His murderous thoughts froze in place.
Zhi Yan's lashes trembled slightly as she tried to wake up. Her eyes slowly opened, still a bit dazed—but then they narrowed sharply the moment she noticed the man looming over her, one hand suspiciously extended.
She stared at him with a completely flat expression.
"Who are you… and why are you smiling like an idiot?"
The man blinked rapidly, caught off guard by her bluntness. The sinister thoughts in his mind evaporated as he forced an awkward, foolish grin back onto his face.
"A-ah! Noble Consort, I'm the Emperor my name is xia wei… hehe…"
Zhi Yan sat up, eyeing him like she was inspecting livestock at a market.
"Hmm… You're handsome, I'll give you that. But not my type. What a pity."
The emperor's fake smile shattered. For a second, his face went blank—genuinely stunned, as if he couldn't believe what he'd just heard.
Ignoring the emperor, Zhi Yan looked down, gently tugging at her sleeve.
Why am I wearing this ridiculous dress? Didn't that cat say I'd get the body's memories? Did I do something wrong? No, I just pressed the button like it said…
As she puzzled over her situation, the emperor suddenly spoke from behind her.
"Let's sleep, okay? We'll sleep."
Zhi Yan turned to look at him, deadpan.
"If you want to sleep, go sleep. Why are you telling me?"
His stunned expression deepened.
Without waiting for a reply, she stood up, straightened her long sleeves, and walked toward the door. Her red wedding robes trailed softly behind her as she pushed the door open and stepped out into the quiet hallway.
Watching her leave, the smile on Xia Wei's face slowly shifted into a smirk.
"Interesting… I thought she'd be like the others—scrambling for the emperor's favor, desperate to rise to the skies overnight."
Suddenly, a faint breeze stirred the curtains as a shadowy figure appeared by the window. Without turning around, Xia Wei clasped his hands behind his back and spoke calmly.
"Han Xu, didn't you say this girl was timid?"
Kneeling behind him, a masked man lowered his head respectfully.
"Yes, Master. According to our intelligence, she was quiet and timid, rarely speaking. Do you want me to… clean her up as well?"
Xia Wei shook his head slowly, his eyes gleaming with interest.
"No. Just watch her. Don't kill her yet. She's… different. Not like the others."
The masked man silently nodded, then disappeared into the wind.